Zambia orders crackdown on energy drink containing Viagra after complaint by Uganda's NDA
Authorities in Zambia have ordered a local manufacturer to stop the production and distribution of an energy drink that contains Viagra, the Nile Post has learnt.
Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA), The Ndola City Council and the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) in a statement issued on Tuesday ordered for an immediate stop to the production and consumption of Natural Power High Energy Drink.
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“The Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA), The Ndola City Council and The Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) wishes to inform the general public that investigations have been instituted on the Natural Power High Energy Drink which is alleged to contain sildenafil citrate,” the statement said.
“We wish to inform the public that the three institutions are working together to ascertain the claims made about the product.”
According to the statement, investigations into the allegations have started before action can be taken.
“The outcome of this investigation will be communicated to the public as soon as results are released but in the view of the foregoing, the three institutions would like to urge the public to immediately desist from consuming the drink until conclusive results are released that either confirm or dismiss the allegations.”
https://nilepost.co.ug/2019/01/05/national-drug-authority-raises-red-flag-on-energy-drinks-containing-viagra/
“Meanwhile, the manufacturers of the product, Revin Zambia Limited based in Ndola, have been ordered to halt the production and distribution of the energy drink until all investigations have been concluded and appropriate action taken.”
The move by authorities in Zambia stem from a red flag raised by the National Drug Authority to the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) alerting them of energy drinks containing Viagra.
In a December 28 letter and received on January 4 by UNBS,NDA they received a complaint from a consumer about Natural Power SX, an energy drink and on checking, the drink was found to be having Viagra.
“It purported to be an energy drink manufactured by Revin Zambia ltd. The complainant reportedly experienced a prolonged erection for nearly six hours and abnormal heart beat with constant sweating,” NDA said in their letter to UNBS.
“We sampled the product and subjected it to full analysis using a method adopted from USP. The results obtained indicated that the product was adulterated with sildenafil Citrate,” the National Drug Authority concluded.
According to Wikipedia, sildenafil is a product sold as the brand name Viagra among others and is used as a medication to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension and is taken by mouth or injection into veins.
